Brake rotor



MalCh 28, C. E, TACK BRAKEROTOR Filed Feb. 16, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 1'lll/11111 INV-ENTOR. Cardi Taza/ March 28, 1944. c. E. TACK 2,345,016

BRAKE RoToR Filed Seb. 16, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR..

adi? Tack BYv WMM HFORNEV Patented Mar. 28, 1944 BRAKE ROTOR Carl E.Tack, Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 16, 1942, SerialNo. 431,069

(Cl. 18S-218) 13 Claims.

My invention relates to brake equipment and particularly to a novel formof rotor designed to be associated with other braking means commonlycalled stators whose eng-agement with said rotor is commonly utilized asa means of stopping a wheel or other rotating member.

My novel rotor is particularly adapted for use with railway rollingstock although it will be understood thatI such a rotor may be utilizedfor any equivalent purpose for which it may be readily adapted.

My invention comprehend's a rotor of the general form shown anddescribed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 409,999, filedSeptem- -ber 8, 1941, in the United States Patent Oihce, said rotorcomprising 'three spaced annular plates interconnected by radiallyarranged equidistantly spaced blades, the central of said plates beingconnected at its inner perimeter to a support member aording aconnection to a rotating member. This arrangement not only permits airto -be drawn through the rotor from both sides of the support memberduring actuation of said rotor but also reduces thermal stresses on thesupport member by connecting it to the central plate instead of to oneof the friction plates as in the previous designs.

The principal object of the present invention is to design a rotor ofthe type shown in my said co-pending application in which the shape ofthe blades between the annular plates is such as to increase turbulenceof air passing between said plates in order to cause said air to impingeupon the surfaces with which it comes into contact and thereby to reducethe lm of air which is present on said surfaces during actuation of therotor and which serves to insulate said surfaces and to prevent coolingthereof.

Another object of my invention is to increase the effective width ofattachment of the blades to the friction and support plates utilized inmy novel arrangement by increasing the length of the blades withoutincreasing the size of the plates.

Still another object of my Vinvention is to devSign a rotor f the abovedescribed type in which the blades may-be relatively thin withoutdecreasing the' strength of the rotor.

The above-mentioned objects are accomplished by casting the blades inthe form of waves, said waves in the illustrated embodiment of myinvention being proportional in size to their distance from the centeror axis of the rotor` It will lbe apparent to those skilled in the artthat by thus shaping the blades, turbulence of air passing therebetweenis increased and that the length of the blades, which extend from, theinner to the outer perimeter of, the associated plates, i; increased soas to secure-a greater effectivewdth of attachment to said plates andthus to make possible the utilization of relatively thin blades lwithoutweakening the rotor. l

A further object of my invention is the reduction of thermal stressesupon the central or; support plate by alternately arranging the bladesat opposite sides of the rotor as shownin one of the illustratedembodiments of my invention. s

A diierent object of my invention is to reduce mechanical stresses uponthe rotor by positioning the blades in alignment at opposite sides ofthe rotor so that they form columns thereacross as shown in anotherillustrated embodimentof my invention.

Still another object of my invention is to obtain the advantages ofcolumn structure' across the rotor as above described and at the sametime to obtain reduction of thermal stresses upon the center or supportplate by reversing the curves of the blades at opposite sides of therotor so that the edges of the blades attached to vone-side cf thecentral plate coincide .at spaced points with the edges of the bladesattached to the`l opposite side thereof as illustrated in still anotherembodiment of my invention. f s *Y In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of my novel rotor, and Figure 2 is an edge elevation thereoftaken from the right as seen in Figure 1 with a portion cut away alongthe planeindicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken in the planes indicated bythe line 3--3 of Figure 1. v

Figures 4 and 5 show a modication Vof my novel rotor, Figure 4 being afragmentary edge elevation thereof, and Figure 5 being a sectional viewin the plane indicated lby the line 5 5 oi Figure 4.

Figures 6 and 7 show another modification of my novel rotor, Figure 6being a fragmentary edge elevation thereof, and Figure 7 being a frag7mentary sectional View taken in the plane indicated by the line 'l--l ofFigure 6. v Y Describing my novel rotor in detail, the support membergenerally designated 2 comprises a bell-like portion 4 with a hubportion 6 hereinafter more fully described, said bell-like portion beingconnected at its outer perimeter as at 8 to the central support plate I0of the rotor gen,- erally designated l2, said central support platebeing thickened at I4 to afford a substantial .con-V nection to thebell-like portion 4. Lateral plates I6 and I8 of annular form aresecured to opposite sides of the support plate I8 by the equidistantlyspaced radially arranged blades 20, 20. It will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art that the outer surfaces of the annular platesI6 and I8 are formed and arranged for frictional engagement withnonrotatable brake elements or stators. In` the Inodilcation shown inyFigures 1 to 3, inclusive, the -blades 20, 20 extending between theplates I and I8 are aligned with the blades 20, 20 extending between theplate-is I0 and I6 so that two of the blades 2li, 20 at opposite sidesof the rotor serve as a column for resisting the braking pressureapplied to the outer surfaces of the plates I6 and I8. The manner inwhich the blades 28, 20 at opposite sides of the rotor are placed inpairs, each pair for-ming a column between the friction plates atopposite Sides of the rotor, is illustrated in the view of Figure 2immediately above the middle thereof where the outer extremities oredges of the blades are clearly shown aligned at opposite sides of therotor.

It may be noted that in my novel structure the pressure applied to theouter surfaces of the plates I6 and I8 at opposite sides of the rotor isevenly distributed among the blades 28, 28 which are evenly disposedabout the circumference of the rotor as already described and inasmuchas the blades 20, 20 at opposite sides of the rotor are aligned witheach other thus forming columns across the rotor, I Vam able tocalculate the stresses to which my novel rotor may be safely subjectedas more fully described in my abovementioned co-pending application.

It may be noted that each of the blades 28, 20 is cast in the form ofwaves, the sizes of which are proportional to their distance from thecenter or axis of the rotor. The structure of the blades at oppositesides of the rotor I2 contemplates such an arrangement as will affordequal cooling capacity with friction surfaces at opposite sides of saidrotor, inasmuch as the form and arrangement of the blades 2Q. 2li issimilar to and performs the function of a radial typerof blower so thatwhen the rotor is in normal operating position, rotating at a relativelyhigh rate of speed, peripheral force acts to throw out the air betweenthe blades and thus to draw air into the spaces between said blades,said air being drawn from opposite sides of the belllike portion 4 `ofthe support member 7.. The wave-like form of the blades causes the airto become turbulent when passing through the rotor, and this turbulencecauses the air to impinge upon the adjacent surfaces of the plates I0,I6, and I8 and the surfaces of the blades 20, 20 thus reducing the filmof air insulating said surfaces,vas will be readily apparent.

It may be noted that the hub portion 8 of the support member 2 comprisesspaced bosses 22, 22 therearound and openings 24, 24 therethrough, andsaid hub portion also comprises a bore 25. lIt Will be readily apparentto those skilled in the art that a portion of a rotating member to whichthe rotor I2 is to be secured may be fitted within the bore 25 and maybe secured to the hub 6 by any securing means such as bolt and nutassemblies received Within the openings 24, 24.

Figures 4 and 5 show a different modification of my novel rotor in whichsaid rotor generally designated 26 is similar to that previouslydescribed and comprises a center plate 28 and the friction plates 30 and32 disposed at opposite sides thereof as in the previously describedmodification, the plate 28 being joined to the plates 38 and 32 by theblades 34, 34, said blades being formed and arranged in a manner similarto that described for the previous modification but being alternatelyarranged at opposite sides of the rotor. Thus heat generated in theplates 30 and 32 as the result of braking pressure applied to the outersurfaces thereof will be transmitted by the blades 34, 34 at oppositesides of the rotor to the center plate 28 at alternate points onopposite sides thereof, whereby, as will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art, thermal stresses upon said center plate will besubstantially reduced.

Another modification of my novel rotor is shown in Figures 6 and 7, saidrotor being similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive and beinggenerally designated 36, said rotor comprising the support plate 38 andthe annular friction plates 40 and 42 disposed at opposite sidesthereof, each of said friction plates being joined to the support plate38 by the blades 44, 44, said blades being formed and arranged in amanner similar to that described for the previous modifications exceptthat the curves or waves of said blades are reversely arranged atopposite sides of the rotor 36 so that the edges of the blades 44, 44attached to one side of the plate 38 coincide at spaced points with theedges of the blades 44 attached to the opposite side of the plate 38 asat 48, 46. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art thatthe coincidence o-f the curves of the blades at 46, 46 results in spacedcolumns being formed across the rotor at said points of coincidencewhereby mechanical stresses upon said rotor will be more effectivelyresisted while at the same time thermal stresses on the center plate 38will be largely avoided due to the fact that heat will be transferredthereto at spaced points by each pair of blades 44, 44 at opposite sidesof the rotor.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exactembodiments of the device shown which are merely by way of illustrationand not limitation as Various and other forms of the device will, ofcourse, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a brake rotor, a support member comprising a bell-like portionhaving means for connection to an associated rotating member, saidsupport member also comprising an annular support plate connected at theinner perimeter thereof to the outer perimeter of said bell-likeportion, annular friction plates at opposite sides of said supportplate, and spaced, radially disposed blades joining said friction platesto said support plate, each of said blades being in the form of waves,said waves being proportional in size to their distance from the centerof the rotor.

2. In a brake rotor, a support member comprising a bell-like portionhaving means for connection to an associated rotating member, saidsupport member also comprising an annular support plate connected at theinner perimeter thereof to the outer perimeter of said bell-likeportion, annular friction plates at opposite sides of said supportplate, and equidistantly spaced blades joining said friction plates tosaidvsupport plate, each of said blades being in the form of waves.

3. In a rotor, spaced annular friction plates,

an annular support plate therebetween, spaced undulate blades joiningeach friction plate to the adjacent side of said support plate, theblades at opposite sides of said supportl plate bein-g alternatelyarranged whereby thermal stresses thereon are reduced, and meansconnected to the inner perimeter of said support plate for securing saidrotor to an associated rotating member.

4. In a rotor, spaced annular friction plates, an annular support platetherebetween, equidistantly spaced wavy blades joining each frictionplate to the adjacent side of said support plate, the waves in saidblades at opposite sides of the rotor being reversely arranged, andmeans connected to the inner perimeter of said support plate forsecuring said rotor to an associated rotating member.

5. In a rotor, spaced annular friction plates, a support membertherebetween, spaced undulate blades joining each friction plate to theadjacentside of said support member, the blades at Opposite sides ofsaid support member being alternate'- ly arranged whereby thermalstresses thereon are reduced, and means for securing said rotor to anassociated rotating member.

6. In a brake rotor, spaced annular friction plates, a support memberextending therebetween, and integral blades joining said plates to saidmember, said blades being radially undulate in form.

7. In a brake rotor, a plurality of spaced plates, air inlet meanscommunicating with the space between said plates, transverse blowerblades extending between said plates, said blades being radiallyundulate in form, and means for attaching said rotor to an associatedrotating element.

8. In a brake rotor, a plurality of spaced plates, at least one of whichis provided with an opening therethrough to afford an air inlet, bracemeans comprising radially undulate blades extending between said plates,and means for securing said rotor to an associated rotating member.

9. In a brake rotor, spaced plates, support means therebetween, andundulate blades joining each plate to said means, the blades at oppositesides of said means being alternately arranged, at least one of saidplates being annular t0 aiford an air inlet to the space between saidplates.

10. In a rotor, spaced friction plates, support means therebetween, atleast one of said plates being annular to aiord an air inlet to thespace between said plates, and brace means comprising wave-like bladesextending between each plate and the adjacent side of said supportmeans, the waves in the blades at opposite sides of said support meansbeing reversely arranged.

1l. In a brake rotor, a plurality of spaced plates, air inlet meanscommunicating with the space between said plates, and brace meanscomprising wavy blades extending between said plates, the Waves in saidblades being proportional in size to their distance from the axis of therotor.

12. In a rotor, a plurality of friction plates, at least one of which isannular, and brace means extending therebetween and comprising wavyblades, the waves in said blades being proportional in size to theirdistance from the axis of the rotor.

13. In a brake rotor, a plurality of spaced plates, air inlet meanscommunicating with the space between said plates, support means betweensaid plates, and brace means comprising wave-like .blades extendingbetween each plate and the adjacent side of said support means, thewaves in the blades at opposite sides of said support means -beingreversely arranged.

CARL E. TACK.

